The Scottish Government is to back a proposal to strengthen hate crime laws to cover people targeted for their sexuality or because of a disability.
Justice secretary Kenny MacAskill said the government would support a Bill proposed by Green MSP Patrick Harvie.
The Sentencing of Offences Aggravated by Prejudice (Scotland) Bill would bring Scotland into line with England and Wales, where courts have been able to impose tougher sentences for offences committed due to the victim's disability or sexual orientation for several years.
It will be taken forward early in 2008, and is likely to win the backing of the Liberal Democrats - although the Conservatives have criticised the move.
Harvie said: "For too long our justice system has been oblivious to the motivation behind hate crimes against these groups.
"These proposals, if Parliament backs them, will mean these divisive and scarring crimes are deterred more effectively and taken more seriously, just as racially motivated attacks already are.
"We want a Scotland where these offences are made a thing of the past and where all Scots are treated with dignity and respect.
"This Bill would also mean proper records of this kind of attacks are kept for the first time, so we can see what progress is being made each year towards that goal."
Conservative justice spokesman Bill Aitken said attacks on gay people were already recognised as serious issues by judges and sheriffs.
"In Scotland, we pride ourselves in the fact that we are all equal in the eyes of the law but some it now seems are more equal than others, which cannot be right," he said.
